Lake Abant: Bolu’s Mountain Lake National Park

On this page

1. What is Lake Abant?
2. How do you get to Lake Abant?
3. When is the best time to visit Lake Abant?
4. What is the history of Lake Abant?
5. What is Lake Abant famous for?
6. What can you do at Lake Abant?
7. Frequently asked questions about Lake Abant
8. What do the official records say about Lake Abant?

What is Lake Abant?

Lake Abant (Abant Gölü) is a lake in the Abant Mountains southwest of Bolu, at 1,328 m, with a surface of 127 ha and a shoreline of about 7 km. Forests of Scots pine, fir, beech and oak come down to the water on every side, and the national park around it covers 1,196.5 ha in all (Bolu Culture and Tourism Directorate).

For decades it has been the place where people from Istanbul and Ankara come for a day in the forest, a weekend in a lakeside hotel or a conference. It is busy on summer weekends and holidays and quiet on weekday mornings, when mist sits on the water.

How do you get to Lake Abant?

The lake is about 33 km from Bolu. Leave the D-100 Ankara–Istanbul highway at the Ömerler junction (km 203) and follow the 22 km asphalt road up into the mountains. It is 60 km from Düzce, 225 km from Ankara and 258 km from Istanbul (Bolu Culture and Tourism Directorate).

Without a car, minibuses run from Bolu’s bus terminal; services are infrequent, so check the return time when you arrive. The nearest airports are Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen and Ankara Esenboğa.

Book a Lake Abant tour

−5% Istambul readers save 5% on every tour below — applied at checkout.

See all tours

Partner listings via GetYourGuide · free cancellation on most

When is the best time to visit Lake Abant?

The directorate gives May to September as the best period. Spring brings fresh green to the beech woods and flowers to the meadows, and summer is mild at this altitude. Autumn colour on the slopes is a strong reason to come in October. In winter the lake and forest are often under snow, and the 2002 inventory mentions skating on natural ice; the road can be icy, so carry chains.

Avoid summer weekends and public holidays if you want peace; arrive early on any day.

What is the history of Lake Abant?

Abant is a lake of tectonic origin, described by the directorate as a crater and accumulation lake formed on the Abant Mountains, and fed by groundwater; it is about 18 m deep (Wikipedia). The area sits close to the North Anatolian Fault, and the 1957 earthquake that struck the region bears the name of Abant.

Because of its tectonic lake, its rich plant life and its great potential for outdoor recreation, 1,150 ha of the area was set aside as a nature park in 1988. On 10 June 2022 it was declared a national park, the country’s 48th (Wikipedia).

What is Lake Abant famous for?

• Endemic species. The Abant trout (Abant alası) lives only in the lake and its surroundings. The small crested newt found here has, according to the directorate, not been recorded anywhere else in the world, and the Abant water lily and the Abant hazel mouse are also endemic.
• Forest scenery of pine, fir, beech, oak, chestnut and hornbeam, with red deer in the woods.
• Lakeside hotels and a long tradition as a meeting and conference venue.

What can you do at Lake Abant?

Visit the nature museum. The Visitor Information Centre and Nature Museum at the entrance to the park is free and introduces the lake’s wildlife.

Walk or cycle the shore. The loop around the lake is about 7 km. You can rent a bicycle, or tour the shore in a horse-drawn phaeton.

Picnic and camp. There are picnic areas, and tents and caravans are allowed in designated places.

Fish. Abant trout can be caught at certain times of year with a paid permit.

Watch wildlife. The forests shelter red deer, roe deer, wild boar, brown bear, fox and jackal; otters use the shore, and raptors such as buzzards and sparrowhawks hunt over the lake. The inventory lists birdwatching, plant-spotting and photography among Abant’s activities.

Eat and shop. Restaurants and cafés around the lake serve meals, and a market sells local products.

Paraglide. The 2002 inventory notes that the Abant Mountains have good launch sites for paragliding, with summer trips organised from the big cities; ask locally about current operators.

Nearby. Mudurnu, on the far side of the mountains, makes a good continuation; Lake Gölcük is on the Bolu side.

Frequently asked questions about Lake Abant

What do the official records say about Lake Abant?

Lake Abant is a crater lake formed on the Abant Mountains, 34 km southwest of Bolu. The lake, 125 ha in extent, is 1,325 m above sea level and is fed by groundwater.

The surroundings of Lake Abant are very rich in flora and fauna. The famous Abant trout in the lake can be caught at certain times of the year by paying a fee. The forests of the area are the most suitable habitat for deer. Picnicking, camping, sport fishing, walking, boat, phaeton and horse rides, and natural ice skating in winter are the indispensable activities of this nature park.

Scots pine, beech, black pine, sessile oak, poplar, ash, hornbeam, willow, juniper, rhododendron, tamarisk, hazel, medlar, spindle, hawthorn, Christ’s thorn, dog rose, fern, blackberry, strawberry, mint, raspberry, ivy, nettle, horsetail and meadow grasses are the main trees and shrubs; wild boar, deer, roe deer, bear, fox, jackal, hare, birds of prey and songbirds, and the Abant trout, an endemic species of the lake, make up the fauna. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Bolu Provincial Tourism Inventory, 2002)

Main photo: Eyeintheair, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.